River of God Church Rockvillehttps://lifechangingriver.com
Loving God. Loving Others. Changing the World.Sun, 11 Feb 2018 17:21:41 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4116938466Love and Intimacy: Love in Prayerhttps://lifechangingriver.com/devotional/love-and-intimacy-love-in-prayer/
Sun, 11 Feb 2018 16:09:03 +0000http://lifechangingriver.com/?p=530 Read More Read More]]>In Deuteronomy 6:4-6, we see Moses talking to Israel about the decrees and laws God had directed him to teach the Israelites when they were about to cross the Jordan River to the Promise Land. This is what we now know the SHEMA:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.

This eventually became a twice-daily prayer in the Jewish practice, and Jesus probably also grew up praying it which is why when he was asked what was the greatest commandment from the TORAH was, he referred to the SHEMA as the greatest commandment. The second being to loving others.

But what does it really mean to love God? In Hebrew, the term that they used for love in the SHEMA, was אהבה (ahavah) which refers to the kind of affection or care one person shows another. In the context of Deuteronomy, Moses was basically telling the Israelites that He chose them as His people because of His ahavah for them; that this love originated from God’s own character (God is love), not because they did anything to earn or deserve His love. We are then called to respond to God’s ahavah by showing the same ahavah in return.

But loving God doesn’t just mean reflecting the kind of love that he has for us by extending that love to other people (even those that seem unlovable). If you think about it, it’s humanly impossible to love even your enemies, because it is not by our own power and might that we are able to love even the unlovable. We are only able to extend that love if we accepted Jesus Christ in our lives and keep an intimate relationship with Him.

God desires that we have an intimate relationship with Him in the same way that we have an intimate relationship with our spouse. Intimacy and oneness involves keeping an active communication between two people and so the way that we keep that active communication between God and ourselves is when we pray.

Pray about anything. Pray when in distress…pray and intercede for others…and most importantly pray with thanksgiving. No prayer is too small or too big for the Lord. God wants to know that He is part of our day-to-day and so let prayer be your life. And when God hears you through prayer, God will direct your ways and comfort you in His Word.

Like Paul’s encouragement in Philippians 4:6-7, I encourage you, let your requests be made known to God. IN EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving. And His peace that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

I pray to God—my life a prayer—and wait for what he’ll say and do. My life’s on the line before God, my Lord, waiting and watching till morning, waiting and watching till morning.

Psalm 103:5, The Message

Reflect on HOSEA 2:16; 19-20:The Lord loves you that He called you as His since the beginning of time. You are His betrothed and He desires an intimate relationship with You and calls You to respond to His love.

“And it shall be, in that day,” says the Lord, “That you will call Me ‘My Husband’, and no longer call Me ‘My Master,’” (v. 16) “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindess and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord.” (v. 19-20)

Prayer:Lord, thank You for showering us with Your love. Thank You that even now, You are giving us the desire to have an even more intimate relationship with You. We know that You hear our prayers and that You are guiding our steps through Your Word. Continue to water the seeds that You have planted in us when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior so that we grow deeply rooted in Your Word. Strengthen us and encourage us with Your words so that we are kept far away from what is false. And give us Your grace to always stay true to Your Word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Have you ever noticed that when you tell your story to a group, sooner or later someone says, “Yeah, I have something similar, too. This is what happened to me!…” And pretty soon, everyone starts sharing their own stories of salvation, deliverance, healing and provision… AND others who listen, who think they may not have a story to tell, begin to long… “me, too. I wish I can share something like that too!”

There is power in your testimony:

Your story gives glory to Jesus. He alone deserves the praise and glory of all the benefits of our salvation! When we tell our stories, we begin to give thanks to Him and others begin to give thanks to Jesus as well.

Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! 1 Chronicles 16:8-10

Your story invites you to ask God for more. Sharing your story increases your faith. If you asked God for a basket of bread and He gives you a loaf, would you complain? Instead, wouldn’t you thank Him and then keep asking Him for more, knowing that He supplies ALL your needs and He is your ever-present help!

Your story invites others toward Jesus to give thanks and to ask. When people hear of God’s goodness, and they know God is GOOD ALL THE TIME, they too will begin to long for their own stories of God’s ever-present help. They give thanks for who He is and their faith will arise!

So, let’s not be too shy to share our testimonies. It doesn’t matter how small or ordinary it seems to be. After all, it’s not the size of our testimonies that matter, it’s the size of our God. Share what God has done: His provision, His salvation, His healing, His deliverance, His rescue, His grace and compassion.

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.2 Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.3 He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.4 He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.5 He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!Psalm 103

]]>525Activate Your Joy: REJOICE!https://lifechangingriver.com/devotional/activate-your-joy-rejoice/
Mon, 29 Jan 2018 05:42:37 +0000http://lifechangingriver.com/?p=521 Read More Read More]]>It is easier to cry in times of trouble than it is to rejoice, but God says rejoicing helps us develop endurance and strength during problems and trials!

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. Romans 5:3

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. James 1:2

And he continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!“ Nehemiah 8:10

Tears usually come flowing like flood when we repent and find out that God has forgiven us of all sins even though we are unworthy. But rejoicing is also a result of salvation, because we are now friends with God!

So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Romans 5:11

Jesus knew that His Father delights in him is and well-pleased with Him. In the same way, God also delights in us! He rejoices over us with gladness and with singing!

For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17

We can experience this joy. We can express this GREAT JOY in the Holy Spirit. The Greek for ‘rejoicing’ means “getting so glad one jumps in celebration”. In other words — shoutin’ and leapin’ and praisin’ God! Hallelujah!

SO – REJOICE! Sing! Jump for joy! Laugh! Laughter is God’s medicine for the troubled soul.

]]>521Activate Your Purposehttps://lifechangingriver.com/devotional/activate-your-purpose/
Sun, 21 Jan 2018 16:43:57 +0000http://lifechangingriver.com/?p=516 Read More Read More]]>I heard about David’s Tent DC way back in 2012 from Karla Viloria (current Co-Youth Minister with her husband Ryan at ROLICF) when it was first established. I heard about the 24-hour worship, 365 days per year. This initially excited me, but the few times my family and I visited the National Mall, I thought about this tent, but did actively look for it. Timing was off…nothing more to say.

Fast forward five years later, I was riding my bike and simply doing what I have passionately done during my elementary through college years – mountain biking…along with the RGC men at the National Mall in DC. On our way back home, I noticed a white tent to my right side…lo and behold David’s Tent! What are the odds? I wasn’t even looking for it!

I called all the bike riders’ attention towards the tent. Amor was the hardest to convince as I had to chase him down to return towards the tent. The minute we walked inside the Tent, you could feel God’s presence as a worship leader was singing songs to our God! We were SOLD! Amor was SOLD!

Acts 15:16-17 says

16 ‘After this I will return
And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down;I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up;17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord,
Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name,
Says the Lord who does all these things.’

As I sat inside David’s Tent that very first day in July 2017, the words that God impressed upon me were “gateway to reaching out to DC.” At the time, I really didn’t understand what that meant, nor how or why. But I knew one thing…our local church knows worship. So, by empowering Amor to start the process with David’s Tent, we dove in. Within months, we had led worship here four times.

And now, have been given the privilege to staff and lead worship at the Tent on:
February 12, 12am – 4am,
then Feb. 17, 8am – 4pm.

God is positioning us and activating our purpose in this local, yet global region! I am humbled and reminded by this verse:

Psalm 20:4May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,
And fulfill all your purpose.

As I ponder upon these things, I am very excited for what God is doing…
Faith activated – check!
Hope activated – check!
Purpose activated – check!

]]>516Activate Your Hopehttps://lifechangingriver.com/devotional/activate-your-hope/
Sun, 14 Jan 2018 17:38:35 +0000http://lifechangingriver.com/?p=513 Read More Read More]]>It is possible to be filled with hope because God is our Father. Even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you are not camping in it. You are walking through it. We don’t need to dwell in darkness or despair. God sustains us and rescues us:

But in my distress, I cried out to the Lord;
yes, I prayed to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry to him reached his ears.He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
he drew me out of deep waters.He led me to a place of safety;
he rescued me because he delights in me. (see Psalm 18)

Besides, the valley is only a ‘shadow’, so just keep walking through until you get to the place of safety into the light!

Even though I walk through the darkest valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. (see Psalm 23)

It is possible to be filled with HOPE because God is with us.Immanuel God is with you. Whenever the Lord said He is with someone, it meant he had been given an impossible assignment. It may be impossible to you, but God’s presence makes it possible! No matter what challenges you have today, He is with you through it all. What has the Lord promised you? You can stand on His promises because He is faithful and true. He cannot lie. He cannot change. He cannot abandon you. TRUST HIM.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

]]>513Activate Your Faithhttps://lifechangingriver.com/devotional/activate-your-faith/
Sun, 07 Jan 2018 16:00:42 +0000http://lifechangingriver.com/?p=509 Read More Read More]]>There is no faith needed to do what is humanly possible. But when we are faced with an impossible situation, we have to ask ourselves one of three questions:

Do I solve this myself?

Do I say “that’s impossible!” and then give in and give up? … or…

Do I trust God for this?

If we try to solve it ourselves, we have to work within our limits and abilities. Whatever our problems are – financial lack, illnesses and diseases, infertility, ruined relationships, addictions – our solutions are limited by our human powers and understanding. We can’t create something out of nothing. We have no powers to heal. We can’t make that problem disappear. We can’t control other people’s reactions, and we have no say about the future. We can solve that problem, yes, but our solutions are always limited. And often they are not enough.

So, how about we trust God instead? To put our faith in God means trusting in who God really is. Jesus our Lord is not limited by time, space or matter. He alone resurrected from the dead! That should qualify Him to do what is humanly impossible. But He did more than that: He fed thousands from a handful of food. He healed the sick, cast out demons and raised people from the dead. He forgives sins! Jesus changed the most sinful man and made him a powerful witness of His love and grace. He did all these to let you see that today, Jesus CAN do it for you. He is WILLING and ABLE to do it for you. He wants change you, your family and your circumstances, even miraculously right now, right here! He wants you to experience a fully abundant life, and He wants to change your world. Nothing is impossible with Him. We can trust Him. Jesus is trustworthy and faithful.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”Isaiah 41:10

TrustGodfrom the bottom of your heart;don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.Run toGod! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,your very bones will vibrate with life! – Proverbs 3:5-8

]]>509The Year of Activationhttps://lifechangingriver.com/devotional/the-year-of-activation/
Sun, 31 Dec 2017 17:19:51 +0000http://lifechangingriver.com/?p=505 Read More Read More]]>Our church has an impossible assignment. We are commanded to love the Lord God first and above all, to love people like Jesus loves, and to change the world for Christ. All of these are humanly impossible to accomplish by our strength or power!!!

But when God gives an impossible assignment, He equips and empowers for that assignment to be accomplished. He provides all the resources of heaven for us to obey that command and fulfill our destiny. Now you know why God gave us a promise at the very start –

“It’s not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.”

We need the Holy Spirit to be in us and upon us… and He is, isn’t He? The Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us! The Holy Spirit isn’t just in you for display or deposit. He is in you so others can see Him. The Holy Spirit is in you, and He wants out. He wants others to see that you are transformed, and that you love Him with everything you got, and that love you have for people is the same love Jesus has. The Holy Spirit is in you so others will say “Surely, the Lord is with that person.”

Because God has given us a humanly impossible assignment, He gives us the Holy Spirit. Immanuel God is with us. And if God is for us, who can be against us? Is anything too hard for the Lord?

So, be ready. This is the Year of Activation. And Immanuel God is with us.

“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him…” Acts 10:38

“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” John 14:12-14

]]>505The Impossible Happenedhttps://lifechangingriver.com/devotional/the-impossible-happened/
Sun, 24 Dec 2017 16:23:08 +0000http://lifechangingriver.com/?p=502 Read More Read More]]>After waiting for thousands of years, what before was impossible with man finally became possible.

When we sinned, God no longer walked with us. God hid his face from us because of the sin that so defiles each of us. No matter what we did, our sins always stuck to us. No man can say he doesn’t have any sin. And no man can truly erase his sins and make himself right with God. Humanly speaking, forgiveness and a clean slate is impossible to do. And because of sin, the whole natural world fell into chaos, decay and death.

But everything changed that night when Jesus was born as a baby. Finally, man was able to see the face of God and intimacy between us and God was possible once more. And when Jesus died on the cross 33 years later, He redeemed man from sin, and He defeated its spiritual and natural effects.

In fact, Jesus himself said that “humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Jesus made the impossible happen: He forgave your sins and defeated its power over you! Now God no longer hides His face from you. He now walks and talks with you. He is with you now through eternity. Wow, that’s a very good news!

And while He was on earth, Jesus showed his power to redeem and deal with sin and its power. He demonstrated that He is the Lord of creation and everything physical, the waves, the wind, and the fig tree obeyed Him. He did the impossible wherever He went. He showed His power over diseases, curses and death – all physical natural effects of sin and the Fall.

Jesus challenged his listeners: which is easier to see, that He can forgive sins, or He can make the lame walk? So to make his point stick, he forgave the lame man and made him walk! (Matthew 9:5-6).

So, if Jesus already made the impossible happen – of forgiving your sins and defeating its power, it would not be difficult for Him Jesus to also heal your diseases, to give you abundant life, to bring you peace and freedom from bondage, and to make you a world-changer! Isn’t that good news that brings you great joy?

Luke 2:10-11 But the angel reassured them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior- yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!”

Psalm 145:8-9 The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

]]>502Behind the Sceneshttps://lifechangingriver.com/devotional/behind-the-scenes/
Sun, 17 Dec 2017 16:22:26 +0000http://lifechangingriver.com/?p=498 Read More Read More]]>On January 1st of this year, we shared to you our hopes and faith for breakthrough. We personally saw how God has worked to make breakthrough and victories happen in your personal life as well as in our church.

But sometimes, we don’t think God is working because it seems nothing has happened and we’ve been praying and waiting so long. But that’s not true. God is always working. Like a farmer who sows seeds and yet doesn’t see the roots grow and waits until harvest for the fruit, God also works to prepare in advance what one day will be your blessing.

Sometimes, we wish God would give it all to us, whatever we are praying for: healing, a job, reconciliation, promotion, salvation… Rest assured that God is working, often works behind-the-scenes, preparing you internally to be ready to receive. When we trust that God is good, then we can also trust He works for our good. Even when we don’t understand and we have to wait, trust that He is working in you and for you. Everything will be beautiful in His time.

What have you seen God do?

As the year ends, let’s celebrate all that God has done and continues to do! We don’t ever want to forget God’s faithfulness, and we want to shout it out to the mountaintops!

And don’t forget that God isn’t done working. The year isn’t over yet, and the year of the Lord’s favor stretches through generations! So, get your hopes up. There is much to be grateful for and even more to anticipate as He works behind the scenes to fulfill His promises to you.

]]>498His Peace for My Chaoshttps://lifechangingriver.com/devotional/his-peace-for-my-chaos/
Sun, 10 Dec 2017 16:27:12 +0000http://lifechangingriver.com/?p=495 Read More Read More]]>Peace, or in Hebrew “shalom”, is not just the absence of conflict or war. “Shalom” means made completely whole, without chaos or confusion. So peace is missing when our relationships are broken, or our lives are incomplete, or something in us is out of alignment.

When Jesus told his disciples, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you”, it meant there was a divine exchange.

“My peace I give you”

That Jesus gave peace means we didn’t have it before He gave. Before Jesus entered the picture, our lives were chaotic and messy. Our relationship with God was broken and we were at war with Him. Then Jesus died on the cross and took all our brokenness and sin upon him. He reconciled us to the Father and gave us peace with God. Jesus healed everything in us that was broken and He restored us to wholeness.

“My peace I leave with you”

Peace is Jesus’ gift to us, and He meant for it to stay with us. When you find yourself becoming confused or scared or troubled, just ask Jesus to give you His peace, and He will give it. He will take away your worry and fear, and you will be able to trust Him even when things don’t make sense, or you don’t get your answers yet. And when you’re done praying, you will say “amen” with peace in your heart because you will know: He will restore, heal, prosper and make things right.

God’s Promise:Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!” Luke 2 :14

God’s Blessings:Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all. 2 Thessalonians 3:16